Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist at Utilita Arena, Sheffield

The Utilita Arena holds around 13,000 for boxing events. Part of the upper tier has been cordoned off and there are pockets of empty seats dotted around the venue. But there’s still a decent enough crowd in here, ready to give Dalton Smith a hero’s homecoming.

Smith has spoken in the past about his ambition to build a loyal, city-based following similar to that of Manchester legend Ricky Hatton.

That will take some doing, though. You feel Smith will need to come out of his shell a little more if he wants to get anywhere near the kind of fanatical support.

The chief support bout between Giorgio Visioli and Maxi Hughes has just finished.

Visioli the winner of the lightweight bout against veteran Hughes as the British prospect continues his rise up the ranks with a majority decision victory. One judge had it a draw with the other two having it in favour of Visioli 96-94.

A bit closer than most ringside observers may have had that.

Now we have some chit chat on DAZN and a rendition of Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline inside the arena before the main event ringwalks in 15 or so minutes.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Be sure to tune in to BBC Radio 5 live now where there will be live commentary of tonight's main event.

Stacey Copeland will present the live coverage, joined by lead commentator Ronald McIntosh, with Steve Bunce and former super-middleweight world champion Richie Woodhall providing co-commentary.

Dalton Smith was a very talented amateur who was a popular member of GB Boxing's team in Sheffield up until 2019.

He had won medals at the European Junior Championship level and at the youth Commonwealth Games while it looked like he would go to qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Yet the weights changed which meant he would have to drop from 64kg to 63kg which, when weighing in every day at amateur tournaments, was going to prove too difficult for Smith and moving up to the next division would leave him at a disadvantage.

Smith also had hand issues which were not helped by the restrictions on the amount of bandages you can use in the amateur code.

So he opted to turn professional with Matchroom in 2019 and has not looked back since.

Image source, Getty Images

If Dalton Smith gets his hand raised tonight then he will surely be looking at unification fights to add more belts to his WBC light-welterweight titles.

There are some big names in the 10st division.

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist at Utilita Arena, Sheffield

Dalton Smith has been his usual understated self during fight week.

There's no trash talk or wild predictions. He's confident, measured and doesn't seem particularly interested in playing the superstar.

He told reporters his spectacular victory over Subriel Matias in January is already “old news”. A fantastic memory, yes, but he's got more to achieve.

Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

I was watching Alberto Puello a few nights ago, I wanted to see him against Miguel Angel Bolano. He stopped him in the fourth round, and he is a fairly flat-footed southpaw.

But he is decent and has a really decent left uppercut as well, so Dalton will have to be careful of that.

I think Dalton will have a little bit too much speed and a little bit too much flair.

The one thing that Dalton has to watch out for, he cannot afford to slow it down to Puello's pace. He’s decent with his jab, he likes his opponent to stand in front, he doesn’t like it when they move.

Image source, Getty Images

Alberto Puello is coming to Sheffield to get his belt back and he is coming with confidence.

The Dominican Republic fighter - who lives in Las Vegas - is a two-time world champion at light-welterweight.

Puello, 32, held the WBC belt from June 2024 until July 2025, when he lost to Subriel Matias. It was a controversial and tight majority decision in favour of the Puerto Rican so Puello also has that added motivation.

That loss to Matias is the only defeat in his 26-fight career.

Make no mistake - this is a very tough night for Dalton Smith.

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist at Utilita Arena, Sheffield

Dalton Smith certainly knows how to celebrate a victory.

After knocking out Subriel Matias to become world champion in January, the Sheffield fighter ended up behind the bar of an Irish pub in New York.

He was pouring Guinness and leading chants with the travelling fans who'd followed him across the Atlantic.

Afterwards, Smith told BBC Sport he'd only had four pints himself, although it felt like considerably more.

Will there be another celebration tonight? Perhaps we'll find out which Sheffield pub he ends up in.

And with the clocks going back overnight, he'll even have an extra hour to sleep it off.

Dalton Smith is making the first defence of his WBC light-welterweight title.

The Sheffield man won the belt in stunning fashion back in January.

The 29-year-old went over to Brooklyn's Barclays Center and took on champion Subriel Matias.

It was a thrilling fight as Smith showed tremendous bravery to stand toe-to-toe with the heavy-handed Puerto Rican.

But he came home with the belt after he stopped Matias in the fifth round after flooring him with a superb overhand right.

It was a remarkable victory and one of the great wins by a British boxer on foreign soil.

Image source, Getty Images

Who has the edge when it comes down to the numbers?

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist at Utilita Arena, Sheffield

Make that two first-round knockouts to start the night.

Heavyweight prospect Leo Atang dropped Argentine journeyman Jonathan Exequiel Vergara three times before the referee had seen enough.

Atang,19, wins his ninth pro fight with an eighth stoppage. He's a serious talent and has plenty of time for him to hone his craft.

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist at Utilita Arena, Sheffield

My word, the main card got off to an absolute banger.

I had barely settled into my seat before Shannon Ryan absolutely pummeled Emma Dolan inside the opening round.

A thunderous right hand sent Dolan crashing to the canvas. She beat the count but still looked stunned. Just seconds later, another right hand sent her tumbling to the deck again.

Dolan’s corner threw in the towel just as the referee waved off the contest.

Ryan adds the British super-flyweight title to her Commonwealth belt and, in emphatic fashion, avenges the only defeat of her professional career, having lost to Dolan by split decision in 2024.

The action has been underway in Sheffield and BBC Sport's boxing journalist Kal Sajad has the updates...

Who is your favourite Sheffield fighter of all time?

Image source, Getty Images

As we mentioned earlier, there's plenty of boxing history in Sheffield.

Many hailed from Brendan Ingle's famous Wincobank Gym.

Prince Naseem Hamed may be the most famous as one of the great featherweight world champions.

Clinton Woods had a successful career and held the IBF light-heavyweight title from 2005 to 2008.

Johnny Nelson is one of the great cruiserweights and held the WBO title for six years.

Kell Brook thrilled as the IBF welterweight champion between 2014 and 2017.

Kid Galahad had ups and downs in his career but won the IBF featherweight title in 2021.

Paul Jones won the WBO light-middleweight title back in 1995.

There were many other brilliant Sheffield boxers but it would be remiss not to mention one of their best to never win a world title in Herol 'Bomber' Graham.

Something in the water in Steel City maybe?

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist at Utilita Arena, Sheffield

Hello from Sheffield, where Dalton Smith is preparing for his long-awaited homecoming as world champion.

The 29-year-old produced one of the great British wins on American soil when he knocked out the fearsome Subriel Matias in Brooklyn in January.

Now comes the first defence of his WBC light-welterweight title. Alberto Puello is a two-time world champion who believes he was unfortunate to lose his belt in the first place.

Win tonight and Smith could have some enormous fights ahead of him, perhaps even a dream night at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium.

First, though, a seriously tricky assignment. This - on paper - is a tough, tough fight.

Image source, Matchroom Boxing

Welcome. It's Saturday. It's Sheffield. It's fight night.

The Steel City has had some famous fighting sons and Dalton Smith is their latest boxing star.

Tonight he defends his WBC light-welterweight title against Dominican Alberto Puello in his home city.

As Storm Boelo continues to batter Britain with wind and rain, will the man nicknamed 'Thunder' keep hold of his title and maintain his unbeaten record?

It could be a real thriller. Stay with us and we will bring you all the latest.